Ten-year animal ban for farmer David Tweed

Dec 22 2009 by Sam Casey, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

A FARMER has been banned from keeping animals for 10 years for “horrendous” cruelty to livestock.

David Tweed, 58, was also given a 200-hour community order and told to pay more than £10,000 in legal costs in the biggest animal welfare case ever prosecuted by Kirklees Council.

But Huddersfield magistrates told him he was lucky to escape jail after he pleaded guilty to 37 charges relating to the keeping of animals at his farm on Drummer Lane in Bolster Moor.

Magistrates heard the offences included allowing rams’ hooves to grow so long they were unable to stand. And the animals’ horns had grown over their eyes. Two had to be slaughtered to prevent further suffering.

The carcasses of dead animals were found lying around his farm, including in buildings that were full of slurry.

Pigs were found covered in blood after being left to fight each other. They had also been deprived of clean drinking water.

There were also a number of offences relating to his failure to keep adequate records of the livestock on his farm and of how they were transported.

Clr Mary Harkin, the council’s Cabinet member for animal health and welfare said: “The sentence passed to Mr Tweed reflects the seriousness of the horrendous act of animal cruelty he has caused.

“Our animal health and welfare officers work hard with local farmers to ensure this kind of neglect is a rare occurrence within our authority.

“However where we do discover upon inspection that this is happening we will prosecute.”